Work Details
Gong
Ballet
Composer
Colin McPhee
Music
Tabuh Tabuhan
Costume Design
Isaac Mizrahi
Lighting Design
Michael Chybowski
Premiere Date
May 01, 2001
Premiere Venue
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
Premiere Location
New York, NY
Premiere Company
American Ballet Theatre
Number of Dancers
15
Details
In McPhee's description of the score, the core of the ensemble is a "'nuclear gamelan' composed of two pianos, celesta, xylophone, marimba, and glockenspiel," giving it a highly percussive balance of sound. The orchestra is augmented by two Balinese gongs and cymbals.
Gong has been performed by American Ballet Theatre and The Royal Ballet.
“Gong (created in 2001 for American Ballet Theater) is a playful romp steeped in Orientalist posturings sparked off by a fabulous, energetic, gamelan-inspired score by Colin McPhee…With golden bands round their ankles and sheathed from head to toe in the designer Isaac Mizrahi’s vibrant colours, the 15 dancers are a neon rainbow splintering into shards of sharp, scampering movement that is both tongue-in-cheek and grandly serious.” -Allen Robertson, The Times, October 24, 2002
“Gong looks like the cautious but fascinated approach of a gifted, intelligent modern-dance choreographer to the apparent eccentricities or mannerisms of classical ballet." -Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times
“Mark Morris cheerfully crosses between modern and classical dancers, …but in Gong he takes both company and audience beyond their usual limits…At points Morris dismantles his moves into comically crude elements…At other points he layers his components into dance of ravishing complexity…This is both pure ritual and surreal comedy…one good reason why a ballet company should hire a choreographer from the rebellious world of modern dance is to stir up the mix. And Morris has given value for money.” -Judith Mackrell, The Guardian, May 14, 2001
“The jubilant, fanciful work demonstrated the great possibilities of classical ballet when merged with modern dance ideas.” -Judy Bloom, The Daily Californian
“With your attention firmly in hand, the 15 dancers sweep through a series of Asian-flavored dances to the Asian-flavored music of Colin McPhee’s “Tabuh-Tabuhan.” -Sylviane Gold, Newsday
“…emotionally stimulating and physically beautiful.” -Stephanie von Buchau, Bay Area Reporter
“Both the choreography and the score revel in oddity…Gong looks like the cautious but fascinated approach of a gifted, intelligent modern-dance choreographer to the apparent eccentricities or mannerisms of classical ballet. Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, Date Unknown
“Mark Morris cheerfully crosses between modern and classical dancers, …but in Gong he takes both company and audience beyond their usual limits…At points Morris dismantles his moves into comically crude elements…At other points he layers his components into dance of ravishing complexity…This is both pure ritual and surreal comedy…one good reason why a ballet company should hire a choreographer from the rebellious world of modern dance is to stir up the mix. And Morris has given value for money.” -Judith Mackrell, The Guardian, May 14, 2001
“The jubilant, fanciful work demonstrated the great possibilities of classical ballet when merged with modern dance ideas. Here, dance without an apparent theme or narrative revealed more clearly how abstract emotion can be communicated to an audience in a way that is humorous and joyful.” -Judy Bloom, The Daily Californian, September 21, 2001